Super moist and flavorful Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins loaded with banana flavor and gooey chocolate chips (or chunks!). Skip the classic banana bread and preheat your oven for this quick, crowd-friendly recipe perfect for breakfast, as a snack or as dessert!
Table of Contents
My secret to extra-moist banana bread muffins? Sour cream! But these aren’t just any banana chocolate chip muffins – they’re super-soft, have a fluffy banana base and they’re insanely addicting. Reserve a few chocolate chips for sprinkling atop the muffins before baking. It’ll ensure you get that shiny, gooey, freshly melted chocolate on all of your muffin tops.
Why You’ll Love These Muffins
- Fluffy banana base.
- Loaded with chocolate chips.
- Extra-moist and flavorful.
- Customizable. Swap in your favorite chocolate chips or chunks, or add a handful of chopped nuts for extra crunch. The possibilities are endless!
- Great for On-the-Go. Pack them in lunchboxes, enjoy them as a snack as you’re rushing out the door or simply savor them with a cup of coffee.
- Freezer-Friendly.
Grab those overripe bananas for the ultimate Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and find more inspiration for all things banana with recipes for Brown Butter Banana Bread, Banana Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce and Banana Nut Pancakes!
These moist banana muffins use a similar ingredient lineup to my sour cream banana bread with a few adjustments. They have less flour and one less egg for a lighter texture. Also, they use both baking powder and baking soda for perfect rise and fluffiness.
- All-purpose flour: Feeling extra? Sift the flour before adding it to the batter for a truly light and airy crumb.
- Sugars: To get the perfect sweetness, you’ll need granulated and light brown sugar. If you prefer a deeper flavor, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Make sure to pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup for the right amount.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These leavening agents are the secret to fluffy muffins. Make sure they’re fresh for optimal rise – if they’ve been sitting in your pantry for a while, it might be time to replace them.
- Bananas: The star of the show, ripe bananas lend natural sweetness and moisture. Make sure your bananas are nice and speckled – the riper, the better! Stuck with unripe bananas? Check out my trick for how to quickly ripen bananas in 15 minutes or less.
- Vanilla extract: I recommend using pure or homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Egg: For an extra fluffy texture, make sure your egg is at room temperature before adding it to the batter.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the banana muffins moist without weighing them down. Swap: Melted coconut oil or a neutral-flavored olive oil works well, too.
- Sour cream: No sour cream? No problem! Yogurt, buttermilk or buttermilk substitutions all work great in this recipe.
- Chocolate chips or chunks: I love using a mix of milk and dark chocolate for a balanced flavor, but feel free to use your favorite type or whatever you have on hand, including chocolate chunks!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Kelly’s Note: I always use the spoon-and-level method when measuring flour. It’s a simple trick that ensures your muffins turn out just right – not too dense, not too light.
You’ll need just two bowls, a whisk and a spatula to make these chocolate-studded banana muffins. Here are the simple steps to follow:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Avoid overmixing the batter so you don’t end up with tough muffins.
- Fold in ¾ cups of the chocolate chips.
- Fill each muffin cup ¾ full and top with the remaining chocolate chips. Use an ice cream scoop or batter dispenser to evenly distribute the batter among the muffin cups, making sure not to overfill them as the batter will rise during baking.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check the muffins a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Oven temps can vary, so your muffins may be done slightly earlier or later than expected. When in doubt, rely on the toothpick test – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Make them mini! If you’re looking for the perfect bite-sized muffins check out my recipe for Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
- Make sure to give those bananas a good mash until they’re smooth. This way, they’ll blend seamlessly into the batter, giving your muffins that perfect banana flavor.
- If you’re a nut lover like me, feel free to toss in a handful of chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans. Just fold them into the batter along with the chocolate chips for an extra layer of texture.
- Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a comforting flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the bananas and chocolate.
- If you prefer your muffins without chocolate chips, you can simply leave them out or replace them with your favorite banana bread mix-ins. Find inspiration with my best banana bread recipes!
- After baking, I let my muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set properly and prevents them from getting soggy on the bottom.
If you have any leftover muffins (which is rare in my house!), store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
They also freeze beautifully! To freeze, allow them to cool completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the wrapped muffins in airtight freezer bags or containers, and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temp or reheat in the microwave for a quick snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Thaw the frozen bananas completely and drain any excess liquid before mashing and adding them to the batter.
Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips, chunks or even chopped chocolate bars in place of chocolate chips.
Yes, you can use a gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. Just make sure it’s a 1:1 substitute for best results.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
- 20-Minute Banana Fritters
- Mini Banana Bread Loaves
- Olive Oil Banana Bread
- The Best Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large bananas, mashed well
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chocolate chunks, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with baking cups or grease the muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, egg, vegetable oil and sour cream.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in ¾ cups of chocolate chips then fill each muffin cup ¾ full. Top with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chunks.
- Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the oven, allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
These muffins are so delicate and delicious! I added chopped pecans..this recipe is a keeper!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Annette!
These turned out so good! My grandchildren loved them as much as I did
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jean!
Thanks great solution for sweet element on our Sunday brunch menu. We added pecans and substituted with gluten free flour!
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Tina!
Can you make these in a loaf pan ?
Hi there! I haven’t used this recipe to make a loaf of banana bread. However, I do have a similar recipe that does. Here’s the link to my Sour Cream Banana Bread recipe: https://www.justataste.com/sour-cream-banana-bread-recipe/
I was having room fever due to a broken toe and wanted something homemade. My bananas were super ripe and I didn’t want to throw them out. I’m not really a fan of chocolate in my banana bread, but this recipe looked really easy. I had my nine-year-old grandson assisting me. We made 12 regular sized muffins and 12 mini muffins. Absolutely delicious! My family loved them. I added a pinch of cinnamon because I like how it compliments bananas and chocolate. Simply delightful!
I’m so glad you and your grandson enjoyed the recipe, Jewell! Well wishes for a speedy recovery!
We loved these muffins! They were so amazingly easy to make. Even my husband was surprised when they were done – “you’re done?” :)
I had a bunch of chocolate chips on hand so I used those instead of chocolate chunks. However, I do plan on making these again and using the chocolate chunks.
Excellent recipe. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Jessica! I’m thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe!
This recipe is amazing. My family just loves it and it’s become a staple at our house. Super easy to make (my four year old helps!) and delicious, thank you!
Amazing! I’m so thrilled your family has been enjoying the recipe!
Every review I read:
I didnt follow the directions and used completely different ingredients, turned out horrible. Would rate zero stars if I could.
My reviews:
Thank you for the recipe as I wouldn’t have been able to make delicious muffins without it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Devonte!
BEST RECIPE EVER!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it!
I loved not waiting for the butter to soften! I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream and chopped an apple cuz I only had 2 bananas. Also added dried cranberries instead of the chocolate chunks. Delish!
YUM! Love all your swaps, Fiona!
Delicious!! Will definitely be saving this recipe.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Alyssa!
Really bug hit in my house! I’ve made these at least four times. Also I’ve use whole wheat flour with great results!
Amazing! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Mollie!
Just made these – they are so good! Great recipe!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the muffins, Nic!
Do you think it is okay to use coconut oil and coconut sugar?
Hi Carol! I’ve never tried that so I can’t say for certain what the results will be, but my initial thought is that it should work. Would love to hear your results if you give it a shot!
This recipe is sooooo good? Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Saskia!
Kelly, have you ever tried making the batter at night and wait to bake until the next morning? Would the consistency be different because the batter was refrigerated? I’ve made these many times and want to save time, I would just hate to disappoint my guests.
Hi Kay! I wouldn’t recommend that, as the leavening agents start working immediately so you want to use the batter ASAP.
Very good! Will definitely make it again!
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Heather!
I love your recipes. They are always a hit and always work.
These muffins were awesome.
Woohoo! Love to read that :)
SO GOOD,says Grandson
Happy to hear that, Diane! :)
please confirm the measurement of the sour cream in the Banana Choc Chunk Recipe. tks
Hi Wendy! Apologies for the typo. It’s 1/4 cup.